Syed Khalique Ahmed | India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—The Delhi High Court has allowed 50 persons to participate in congregational prayers on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat in Markaz Nizamuddin Masjid which was closed on police orders since March 31, 2020 on grounds of alleged violation of social distancing norms that were notified by the government to contained coronavirus pandemic.
Shab-e-Barat falls on March 28.
The permission for 50 permissions to offer prayer has been given on e petition that was filed by the Delhi Wakf Board long time ago through advocate Wajeeh Sharif.
The announcement about the high court order was made by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in a tweet.
His tweet said, “The Delhi High Court has allowed 50 persons to attend ‘namaz’in Markaz Nizamuddin on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat on a petition filed by the Delhi Wakf Board and the next hearing in the case will be held on April 12”.
ALSO READ: Why Has Markaz Nizamuddin Masjid Not Reopened Even After A Year?
The wakf board in its petition had demanded reopening of the entire premises including the Masjid, a madrasa and a hostel inside the Masjid that hare lying closed since March 2020 though all religious places in the capital were allowed to open in June 2020 itself.
As far as violation of social distancing norms is concerned, all the Tablighi Jamaat volunteers booked for it, including 1800 foreigners, have already been acquitted by the court and have flown back to their respective countries, barring five who are in the process of arranging travel tickets. This is the reason why the people are questioning the police logic behind keeping the masjid locked.
